Sparking igniter for explosive-engines.



- No. 666,439. Patented Ian. 22; I90!" 6. L REENSTlERN-A. v SPABKINGIGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

' (Application filed Mar. 3, 1900.

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GUSTAF L. REENSTIERNA, OF WVINOHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPARKING EGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,439, dated January22,1901.

Application filed March 3, 1900. Serial No. 7,145. (No 11101121.;

T ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAr L. REENSTIERNA, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at VVinehester, in the county of Middlesex, State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inExplosive Engines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accom panying drawings.

In gasolene-engines and other engines of kindred character which aredriven by successive explosions in the cylinder the speed of the enginevaries with the frequency of the explosions. The explosions are usuallyoccasioned by an electric spark, which is made by the making andbreaking of an electrical contact.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic governor whichshall break the circuit when the speed attains a certain degree, therebypreventing the explosions until the speed becomes reduced to thepredetermined limit.

My invention will now be fully described by reference to theaccompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims at the close of thisspecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an engineembodying my invention, the cylinder being broken away to show theelectrical contacts. Fig. 2 is a central lengthwise section showing thegovernorshaft and governor detached.

1 represents the cylinder; 2, the piston; 4, the movable contact-pieceon the piston, and 5 the fixed contact in the cylinder-head. The wires 6and 7, broken away, form part of the electrical circuit. The particularform of construction of the elements thus far described is not, however,material to my present invention and need not be further described.

On the crank-shaft 9 is a pinion 10, which meshes with a gear 11, fixedto the shaft 12. The pinion 10 makes two revolutions to one of the gear11. Pivoted to the shaft 12, as between ears 13, is the arm 14:,carrying the governor-ball 15.

The wire 7 is connected to the conductingplate 16, which forms a part ofthe electric circuit. The governor-ball 15, which is also of conductingmaterial and forms a part of the circuit, is so adjusted with relationto the plate 16 that at each rotation of the shaft 12 and governor-ball15 the ball will wipe against the plate 16 and make electricalconnection, except when thrown out of the plane of contact, ashereinafter described. The form and adjustment of plate 16 are such thatthe ball 15 will be in contact during one-half of each revolution ofshaft 12 and gear 1l-that is, it will be in contact during one entirerevolution of crank-shaft 9 and then out of contact during the nextrevolution of shaft 9. hen, therefore, the piston is thrown forward andmakes contact between the contactpieces 4 and 5 within the cylinder, andalso when the contacts 4 and 5 break away from each other, if thecircuitis complete between ball 15 and plate 16 there will be a spark inthe cylinder, which will occasion the explosion. The arm 14 beingpivoted, however, on pin 18 will fly out from the plate 16 under thecentrifugal force when the speed exceeds a certain rate, so that whenthe governor swings around it will not contact with the plate and therewill be no explosion. The speed will thus gradually decrease until thegovernor drops again into the place where it can make contact with theplate 16, when the explosions will again occur as before.

The spring 19 facilitates the return of the governor to its normal planewhen the speed is reduced and also regulates the centrifugal movement ofthe governor. A shoulder 20 engages with a pin 21 to limit thecentrifugal movement of the governor.

Spring 19 is connected to an ear 22, which projects from the slide-rod23 through slot 24 in shaft 12. Slide-rod 23 is seated on spring 25within a longitudinal bore that is formed in shaft 12 for the receptionof the said sprin Against the other end of slide-rod 23 presses the endof screw 26. By setting up screw 26 the slide-rod will be pushed in,thereby increasing the tension of spring 19 and holding the governor 15in the plane to make contact with plate 16 until the engine attains ahigher speed.

What I claim is- 1. In combination, in an explosive-engine, the ignitingdevices, a fixed contact in circuit with the igniting devices, a rotaryshaft, a centrifugal governor also in circuit with the ernor also incircuit with the igniting devices, carried by the said shaft, andconstituting the moving contact, a rod movable within the said bore, aspring between the rod and the governor, and the screw for adjustingsaid rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAF L. REENSTIERNA. Witnesses:

WM. A. MACLEOD, ALICE H. MORRISON.

